The overwhelming heat and humidity are physically wearing for the drivers in a way experienced at no other venue on the calendar. It is a very tough affair for both drivers and cars. April really is the cruellest month in Malaysia, with the highest rainfall of the year and average temperatures of 22 degrees centigrade.

Place in history

Crowds may be small, reflecting limited curiosity about F1 on the part of the local residents. Scene of one of the most controversial races in recent history when Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher scored a 1-2 for Ferrari in 1999 driving cars which many in the pit lane believe to this day were illegal.

Engineering victory

There are lots of fast corner at Sepang, so achieving the right aerodynamic balance is essential if a car is to handle consistently over a race distance. Reliability can be affected by the heat, so keeping that delicate machinery cool under the bodywork is all-important.

Bernie in or out?

Very much in with Bernie. They were the pioneer race organisers in Asia and a symbol of F1 expansion.

Heroes and villains?

Lewis Hamilton is welcomed with open arms in Kuala Lumpur, though you are never far from a Ferrari fan.

The knowledge

The longest king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) ever captured alive, measuring 5.54m, was discovered in Malaysia, in April 1937. The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world.

Celebrity spots

Under the five-year rotation system, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah has been the King of Malaysia since 2006 - he showed up for a bit ... Natalie Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole, serenades guests at a ball.

Expert view: Nico Rosberg

Staying focusedYou need to drink a lot, and well before the start of the race, because the possibility of dehydration is one of the key things you need to keep in mind in Malaysia. Keeping out of the sun as much as possible is the main priority in the run-up to the start.

Road to successYou need a very good high-speed handling balance from your car at this circuit. In addition to the high-speed turns there are a few bumpy sections as well, so you really need to get on top of those if you are going to succeed. The conditions and the track's nature make for one hell of a tough race.

When the lights go outThere is quite a long run to the first right-hand corner which, although it has a reasonably wide approach, funnels immediately into an even tighter left turn. That is always a pretty busy place to be.

Grandstand or total pitsThis is a nice circuit, although the heat and humidity are always extreme in Sepang. We drivers always tend to hide in the air-conditioned team offices while we are competing at this track. But it is a good racing circuit, with a lot of very fast corners, on which you can get into a good rhythm.